Manipur Police commandos stage ‘arms down’ protest after officer gets kidnapped

The commandos were ordered not to take any action against the militant group, which led to the symbolic ‘arms down’ protest by the commandos.

Digital Desk: Manipur police commandos staged an ‘arms-down’ protest over an alleged restraining order from a senior officer after some 200 members of an armed group shot at and sabotaged the house of a senior police officer in the state capital Imphal on Tuesday night.

According to those with direct knowledge of the situation, the commandos are angry because they were allegedly ordered not to use effective force against the armed group. The armed group members abducted Additional Superintendent of Police (Imphal West) Moirangthem Amit Singh and his bodyguard.

"They were later rescued from the Kwakeithel Konjeng Leikai area and admitted to Raj Medicity for medical treatment. A case has been registered in this regard, and an investigation has started," the Manipur Police said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. 

According to reports, a massive armed mob forced open the gate and started shooting. Mr Singh was not home during the attack. After learning of the incident, the police officer hurried home with a squad of commandos. But the armed group stopped them and abducted them, the Hindustan Times reports.

The kidnapping is said to have been carried out by an armed organization known as the Meitei vigilante group, Arambai Tenggol. Although the police statement did not identify the group responsible for the kidnapping, some with knowledge of the situation suggested that Arambai Tenggol, a hardline Meitei outfit, was involved.

However, the commandos were ordered not to take any action against the militant group, which led to the symbolic ‘arms down’ protest by the commandos.

Since May of last year, there have been approximately 50,000 displaced people and over 200 fatalities in Manipur due to ethnic conflict. According to officials, the ethnic bloodshed has turned into anarchy as militant organizations operating underground have gained newfound traction.